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Habitat Division PROPOSED: HABITAT DIVISION 2021-23 Organization Chart GOVERNOR COMMISSION DIRECTOR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF FISH & WILDLIFE ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAMS PROGRAMS HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION FISH WILDLIFE HABITAT DIVISION DIVISION PROPAGATIONDIVISION PROGRAM INFORMATION & EDUCATION DIVISION HABITAT RESOURCES PROGRAM WATER PROGRAM INFORMATION HABITAT REGIONAL OPERATIONS SYSTEMS DIVISION WESTERN OR STREAM RESTORATION PROGRAM WILLAMETTE WILDLIFE MITIGATION PROGRAM MANAGEMENT RESOURCES DIVISION ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIVISION Positions = 73 FTE = 68.95 2021-23 Biennium Governor's Recommended Budget Page 755 Program Contact: Shannon Hurn, Deputy Director of Fish & Wildlife Programs 503-947-6044 SCR: 060-00-00-00000 Executive Summary Healthy, abundant, and accessible habitat is the foundation on which healthy fish and wildlife populations can persist. Current challenges to the long-term persistence of native fish and wildlife are more complex and intersectional than ever and mainly influence wildlife populations through the quality or quantity of available habitat. As Oregon’s population grows, fish and wildlife habitat is increasingly impacted by changing land use, climate change, water quality & quantity, and other issues. The department proposes establishing a Habitat Division to elevate the land and water issues affecting fish and wildlife, better equip the entire department to consult and coordinate with other state & federal land & water management agencies, and improve fish and wildlife habitat in Oregon. Program Funding 2021-2023 Governor’s Recommended Budget includes $3.3 million General Fund, 21-23 21-23 $1,250 Lottery Funds as well as expenditure limitation for $6.1 million Other Funds and Fund 19-21 Existing Reductions 21-23 $10.4 million Federal Funds. The program would be staffed mainly by existing positions Type LAB Services & POPs GRB relocated from the existing Fish and Wildlife Divisions, with 5 new positions added in the Governor’s Recommended Budget. These additional positions would increase the GF 0 0 3,268,577 3,268,577 Habitat Division staff resources to 73 positions (68.95 FTE). LF 0 0 1,250 1,250 OF 0 0 6,119,992 6,119,992 Healthy and productive fish and wildlife populations are a key component of Oregon’s FF 0 0 10,370,552 10,370,552 identity. These expenditures help maintain productive and visible wildlife populations, Total 0 0 19,760,371 19,760,371 which require agency stewardship. Without programs to encourage land management practices that ensure healthy habitats for fish, wildlife, and people, large areas of Oregon may become less productive. Thus, fish and wildlife populations and wildlife-related recreation may decline or end. 2021-23 Biennium Governor's Recommended Budget Page 756 Program Description The department seeks to create a Habitat Division to bring staff together within a single division, to lead proactive, focused and consistent statewide efforts to protect, restore, and enhance habitat for Oregon’s fish and wildlife. The department has designed an organizational structure that focuses on a realignment of existing department positions, with a request for some new positions. The Habitat Division will require creating a Division Administrator (PEM F) position comparable to other agency division supervisory structures. A deputy administrator position (PEM E) is already Habitat Division available for adding to the structure. These additional leadership Expenditures by Program Area positions will be able to elevate issues related to habitat and $19.76 Million provide coordination across leadership on common issues of both Habitat Division Willamette Wildlife Operations fish and wildlife habitat. Each existing group or individual that Mitigation 4% becomes part of the Habitat Division through this and the other 19% Habitat Resources POPs currently devotes a majority of their time to habitat-related Western Oregon 13% work. Most of the staff in the Habitat Division would be based Stream Restoration locally and report through ODFW’s existing watershed 4% management structure. The Water Quality and Quantity Program would be moved to the Water and Energy Habitat Division from the Fish Division. Policy Option Package 115, Habitat Regional Operations Coordination included in the Governor’s Recommended Budget, provides three 32% 28% new full-time positions in the agency’s Water Quality and Quantity Program to work with other agencies and stakeholders on statewide, integrated placed based planning efforts and long-term water planning in the Willamette River. Within Habitat Regional Operations, the existing seven District Habitat Biologist positions would be renamed Regional Habitat Biologists. Additionally, the Western Oregon Stream Restoration Program would be moved from the Fish Division. The current limited duration Natural Resource Conservation Liaison positions would be moved under the Habitat Division but due to statewide budget constraints these positions are not continued in the Governor’s Recommended Budget. The Willamette Wildlife Mitigation Program, and Bonneville Power Administration Habitat Restoration Program would both also be moved to Regional Operations within the Habitat Division. The Habitat Resources Program, currently residing in the Wildlife Division provides technical advice and assistance to local, state, federal agencies and private landowners regarding land use activities and proposed developments. The program provides technical expertise to private landowners and natural resource agencies on removal and fill actions, energy facility siting, mining, transportation, and forest management issues. It provides statewide oversight and consistency in applying natural resource protection standards. The program coordinates the agency’s response to hazardous 2021-23 Biennium Governor's Recommended Budget Page 757 material spill events that affect fish, wildlife, or habitat, and obtains compensation for damages under state or federal Natural Resource Damage Assessment statutes. Program Justification and Link to Strategic Plan Establishing a Habitat Division within the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) will benefit Oregon’s lands and waters, and in turn, will positively impact the health of Oregon’s fish and wildlife populations and the communities that depend on them. The primary focus of the Habitat Division is to protect, enhance, and restore healthy habitats for Oregon’s fish and wildlife resources. Ensuring that fish and wildlife have healthy habitats in which to live helps keep Oregon a great place for people to live, work, and play. There are many links between this program and ODFW’s Strategic Plan 2018-2024, including Goal 1 (Demonstrating effective stewardship of Oregon’s fish and wildlife, and their habitats); and Goal 3 (Diversify, expand, and align funding with the work we do and the people we serve). ODFW is charged with managing Oregon’s fish and wildlife resources. Habitat is the foundation for all of fish and wildlife management. Without habitat there would be nowhere for Oregon’s native fish and wildlife to live. Declines in habitat quantity and quality have led to species listings under the state and federal Endangered Species Acts. Without sufficient habitat to sustain harvestable surpluses of Oregon’s native fish and wildlife, ODFW cannot justify selling fishing and hunting licenses and tags, which are the foundation for ODFW’s budget. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of this responsibility is that the agency does not own or control most of the habitat where these animals live. Therefore, the agency, through guidance from several internal programs, works collaboratively with landowners and regulatory agencies to influence land management activities in a manner that is conducive to supporting healthy populations of fish and wildlife (Goal 1, Objective 1.1 – Implement effective stewardship of Oregon’s fish, wildlife, and their habitats through sound science and addressing constituent needs). Regulatory agencies have public processes which require them to seek public input. Most consult with ODFW on permitted activities that affect Oregon’s fish, wildlife, and habitat resources. Some agencies are reluctant to permit a development action without technical assistance or input from the agency. However, some agencies may not incorporate provisions in their permits that protect fish, wildlife, and habitat resources without public input. The Habitat Division would lead this effort on behalf of the agency (Goal 1, Objective 1.2 – Increase or maintain public satisfaction with ODFW as the agency responsible for protecting and managing fish, wildlife, and their habitats by 2020). Division and region staff serve as liaisons to local, state, and federal agency partners and landowners providing technical assistance on land use, removal-fill, mining, energy, transportation, and forestry issues. This collaborative interagency coordination helps all these partners with their planning activities and helps to meet the public’s environmental compliance expectations, as well as the intent of their agency missions in a manner that protects water quality, fish and wildlife resources, and builds great communities for Oregon’s growing population. Division and region staff work with the Oregon Department of Forestry to influence federal forest management activities which address forest health issues, increases timber harvest on federal lands, protects important fish and wildlife habitats, creates early seral habitat that benefits Oregon’s deer and elk populations,
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